Harsher penalties for sex offences involving children are being brought in by the government of Madagascar, in an effort to curb sex tourism.

New laws published today mean non-violent offences or attempted offences against a child under the age of fourteen can be punished with imprisonment of up to ten years and fines of up to eighteen-thousand dollars.

Penalties for illegal gay sex involving those under twenty-one are also increased, along with punishments for prostitution, pimping and pornography.